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Chorus History

Alberta Gold Chorus has a wonderful history. We've come a long way!

In 1982, Marjorie Hopkins' love of barbershop music prompted her to find a way to renew her connection to the art form, neglected but not forgotten. Although there was an existing chorus in Calgary, Marjorie decided to start a new one in north Calgary. She advertised for a director and the call was answered by Don Clarke, a barbershopper with patience, diplomacy and the desire to fulfill the motto of SPEBSQSA. With Marjorie's encouragement to friends and co-workers, a small group of women began meeting at a Public school in northeast Calgary. They were soon hooked on the barbershop sound. Alberta Gold Chorus was conceived.

In those beginning months, the excitement of a new hobby, the laughter, and the wonder of unaccompanied voices creating chords kept the ladies coming back for more. The ladies went door-to-door with flyers and the chorus grew. The work continued and by 1984, the chorus had a consistent attendance of 20 members and chartering was in sight.

In May of 2014, we celebrated 30 years! We're still going strong and thanks to social media, exposure from performances, word-of-mouth and our Global Open House events, we have new members every year.

Competitions

Competitions are a big deal and so much fun! It's a part of the barbershop world that helps keep us focused on raising the bar of performance excellence. While putting forth our competetive nature, we cheer each other on and once the medals have been handed out, sing and party into the night!

Regional

Each year, choruses from across Western Canada come together for a Regional Convention and Competition. The 2018 Regional Convention and Contest will be held May 3-6, 2018 in Surrey, BC.

International

The 2018 Annual Convention and Competition is being held October 15-20, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri.